Myanmar MMLE key terms

The proportion of people diagnosed with a specified disease who die from it within a defined period. It measures severity of illness rather than how common the disease is in the population.

The number of new cases of a disease arising in a population at risk during a stated period, usually expressed per 1,000 or 100,000 person-years. It reflects the risk of developing disease.

The total number of existing cases of a condition in a population at a given point or over a period, divided by the population size. It reflects disease burden and is influenced by both incidence and duration.

The proportion of a defined exposed group that develops illness during an outbreak or after a specific exposure. Often calculated for food-borne and point-source outbreaks to identify the vehicle of infection.

The probability that a test correctly identifies people who truly have the disease, calculated as true positives divided by all people with disease. High sensitivity makes a test useful for ruling out disease.

The probability that a test correctly identifies people who do not have the disease, calculated as true negatives divided by all people without disease. High specificity makes a positive result more meaningful.

The proportion of people with a positive test result who actually have the disease. Unlike sensitivity, it depends strongly on the prevalence of the condition in the tested population.

The systematic testing of apparently healthy people to detect unrecognised disease at a stage when early treatment improves outcome. It requires a suitable test, an accepted treatment, and adequate follow-up services.

A disease that health workers are legally required to report to public health authorities, enabling surveillance, outbreak investigation and control measures. Examples include cholera, measles, tuberculosis and dengue.

The public health process of identifying people who have been in contact with a confirmed case, assessing their exposure and arranging testing, treatment, quarantine or monitoring to interrupt transmission.

Indirect protection of susceptible people that arises when a sufficiently high proportion of a population is immune, reducing onward transmission. The threshold varies with how contagious the pathogen is.

A national schedule delivering routine childhood vaccines such as BCG, oral polio, pentavalent, measles and tetanus toxoid. Coverage monitoring and cold-chain maintenance are central to its effectiveness.

The uninterrupted series of refrigerated storage and transport steps that keeps vaccines within their required temperature range from manufacture to administration. Breaks in the chain reduce vaccine potency.

A severe form of dengue infection marked by high fever, thrombocytopenia, haemoconcentration and plasma leakage, with risk of shock. Warning signs include abdominal pain, vomiting and bleeding.

A bedside test in which a blood pressure cuff is inflated on the arm for five minutes and the number of petechiae counted. A positive result supports the diagnosis of dengue infection.

The scheduled package of clinical assessments, screening tests, education and preventive interventions offered to a pregnant woman before birth. It aims to detect complications early and prepare for safe delivery.

New hypertension with proteinuria or other organ dysfunction arising after 20 weeks of pregnancy. It can progress to eclampsia with seizures and is a major cause of maternal death.

The occurrence of generalised tonic-clonic seizures in a woman with preeclampsia, without another identifiable cause. It is an obstetric emergency requiring airway support and magnesium sulfate therapy.

The drug of choice for preventing and treating seizures in preeclampsia and eclampsia. Given intramuscularly or intravenously, it requires monitoring of respiratory rate, reflexes and urine output for toxicity.

Bleeding of 500 mL or more after vaginal birth, or 1,000 mL or more after caesarean section, within 24 hours. Uterine atony is the commonest cause and active management of the third stage reduces risk.

A package using a prophylactic uterotonic, controlled cord traction and uterine massage to speed placental delivery and reduce blood loss. It lowers the incidence of postpartum haemorrhage.

A graphic record of cervical dilatation, fetal head descent, contractions and maternal vital signs plotted against time in labour. It helps detect slow progress and obstructed labour early.

Failure of descent of the presenting part despite adequate uterine contractions because of a mechanical barrier. Signs include moulding, caput, a Bandl ring and maternal exhaustion; it requires prompt operative delivery.

A full-thickness tear of the uterine wall during pregnancy or labour, often at a previous scar. It causes sudden pain, loss of contractions, fetal distress and maternal shock, needing emergency surgery.

Failure to deliver the placenta within a defined time after birth, commonly 30 minutes. It may result from trapped, adherent or morbidly adherent placenta and predisposes to haemorrhage and infection.

Glucose intolerance first recognised during pregnancy, usually detected by an oral glucose tolerance test. It increases risks of macrosomia, shoulder dystocia and later maternal type 2 diabetes.

Acute infection of the lung parenchyma producing fever, cough, tachypnoea and focal chest signs. In children, fast breathing is the key clinical sign used for diagnosis and decisions about antibiotic treatment.

A WHO strategy that guides assessment and treatment of sick children under five through simple algorithms covering pneumonia, diarrhoea, malaria, malnutrition and ear problems at first-level facilities.

A balanced mixture of glucose and electrolytes given by mouth to replace fluid and salt losses in diarrhoea. Low-osmolarity formulations reduce stool output and the need for intravenous fluids.

Giving elemental zinc for 10 to 14 days during diarrhoea, which shortens its duration and reduces recurrence. It is recommended alongside oral rehydration solution for children with diarrhoea.

A life-threatening nutritional deficit identified by very low weight-for-height, mid-upper arm circumference below 115 mm, or bilateral pitting oedema. Management follows stabilisation, rehabilitation and follow-up phases.

Energy-dense, micronutrient-enriched paste used to treat severe acute malnutrition without complications in community settings. It requires no preparation and has a long shelf life.

Yellow discolouration of skin and sclera from raised bilirubin in the first 28 days of life. Onset within 24 hours, rapid rise or high levels suggest pathological causes needing phototherapy or exchange transfusion.

Bilirubin-induced injury to the basal ganglia and brainstem in a jaundiced newborn, causing lethargy, poor feeding, abnormal tone and later cerebral palsy or deafness. It is prevented by timely treatment of hyperbilirubinaemia.

A systemic bacterial infection in the first 28 days of life, presenting with poor feeding, lethargy, temperature instability, respiratory distress or jaundice. Empirical antibiotics are started promptly after cultures.

A live attenuated vaccine given at birth in high-burden settings to protect infants against severe forms of tuberculosis such as miliary disease and tuberculous meningitis. It leaves a characteristic scar.

A chronic bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, most often affecting the lungs. Diagnosis uses sputum smear microscopy, molecular testing and culture; treatment is a multi-drug regimen directly observed.

A tuberculosis control strategy combining case detection by sputum testing, standardised short-course chemotherapy, direct observation of swallowing, regular drug supply and systematic recording of outcomes.

A mosquito-borne parasitic infection causing cyclical fever, chills, headache and anaemia. Falciparum malaria can progress to cerebral malaria; diagnosis is by rapid test or blood film and treatment is artemisinin-based.

First-line treatment for uncomplicated falciparum malaria, pairing a fast-acting artemisinin derivative with a longer-acting partner drug. It improves cure rates and limits resistance.

A metabolic disorder of insulin resistance and progressive beta-cell failure causing chronic hyperglycaemia. Diagnosis uses fasting glucose, HbA1c or oral glucose tolerance testing; management includes lifestyle, metformin and cardiovascular risk control.

Ulceration or infection of the foot in a person with diabetes, driven by neuropathy, ischaemia and pressure. Assessment includes pulses, sensation and wound probing; care requires debridement, offloading and infection control.

Inflammation of the vermiform appendix, classically causing migrating periumbilical pain to the right iliac fossa with tenderness and guarding. Appendicectomy is the standard treatment, often by laparoscopy.

A clinical scoring system for suspected appendicitis combining migratory pain, anorexia, nausea, tenderness, rebound, fever and raised white cell count. It helps stratify need for observation, imaging or surgery.

Inflammation of the peritoneal lining, usually from perforation or infection of an abdominal organ. It causes rigid guarding, rebound tenderness and systemic illness and often requires resuscitation and emergency laparotomy.

Surgical removal of dead, contaminated or infected tissue from a wound or cavity to promote healing and control infection. It is repeated as needed in burns, diabetic foot ulcers and open fractures.

Air trapped in the pleural space under pressure, shifting mediastinal structures and impairing venous return. It presents with severe dyspnoea, absent breath sounds and hypotension and needs immediate needle decompression.

A tube inserted into the pleural space to remove air or fluid and restore lung expansion. It is used in pneumothorax, haemothorax and empyema, with attention to swinging, bubbling and drainage volume.

A non-invasive method of estimating arterial oxygen saturation using light absorption through a finger probe. Readings are unreliable in poor perfusion, motion and nail contamination, so clinical assessment remains essential.